


A Broken Flower

by AliceMarrieCarroll



Category: Fruits Basket
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-08-31 17:57:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 16,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8588221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceMarrieCarroll/pseuds/AliceMarrieCarroll
Summary: A fanfiction I made about the abusive relationship between Tohru and Kyo and how that leads her into Yuki's arms. Mostly told from Tohru's perspective, but the chapters will change with the perspective changes, so they won't all be the same length. Rated M for language and sex. Not the most interesting summary ever, but I hope you enjoy! I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET OR THE CHARACTERS OR SHOW OR CONCEPT OR ANYTHING ELSE. SIMPLY MADE FOR FUN.





	1. Tohru's P.O.V

Ever since I broke the Sohma family curse a little over a year ago, Kyo had confessed his love for me and we had moved into our own place together. However, now we were having problems.

I awoke with a start having heard the front door slam shut. I pulled the covers up and gathered them by my chest. I could hear heavy footsteps and a lot of grumbling. I knew he was going to have a temper so I lay back down and pretended to be asleep. He was always angry if I was awake when he came home drunk.  
"It's like one in the morning, Tohru. You better be sleeping," Kyo mumbled angrily. I shut my eyes tight, trying to keep the tears from flowing. I don't know why Kyo became so mean after we moved in together. It's only been a few months, but I feel like it's been years. Maybe Akito had said something when he told him and Kyo just didn't want to tell me? I felt Kyo climb into bed next to me. I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and I wasn't even facing him. I felt him pull me tight against his chest, sighing heavily as he settled into bed.

The next morning, I rolled over to see Kyo still sleeping, a small smile on his face. It was moments like this that made me fall in love with him all over again, even if he was mean to me sometimes. I got up and went into the kitchen to start breakfast, but noticed we were out of milk. I looked through all the cupboards and made a list of what we needed.

"Good morning Kyo," I said, having felt his hand on top of my head.

"Mornin'," he said, kissing the top of my head. I blushed slightly.

"After breakfast I was going to run to the store and pick up some groceries," I told him.

"That's fine," Kyo said as I set the table, "I need to go to the main house today anyway." I set Kyo's bowl in front of him.

"Oh? What for?" I asked, taking my place across the table.

"I don't know yet," he answered. I just nodded. The rest of breakfast was quiet.

"Ok, I'm heading out! I'll be back later, Kyo!" I called into the house. He came to the front to see me off.

"I might not be home when you get back, so try not to get too lonely," he said, rubbing the top of my head.

"I'll try," I said, smiling up at him. As I walked to the store, I had an uneasy feeling, but couldn't explain why.

I kept looking around me at the grocery store, hoping to place the source of my uneasiness, but there was nothing. As I was leaving the store, I still hadn't figured out what was bothering me. I guess I hadn't been watching where I was going, because I bumped into someone on the sidewalk, making them drop their bags.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Let me help you with that," I said, dropping to the ground.

"Miss Honda?" I froze. I knew that silky smooth voice.

"Yuki?" I said, looking up. Sure enough, there he was.

"Miss Honda, what are you doing out here all alone?" He asked.

"I was just out getting groceries and Kyo was on his way to the main house," I explained. "What about you, Yuki? What are you doing out here?" He smiled.

"I've been doing the cooking since you left, but I'm nowhere near as good as you. We still have to order out most nights," he explained, laughing slightly. "So how are you doing? I haven't seen you since New Years."

"Oh, I've been doing well. What about you, Yuki?" I asked, handing him a bag of rice.

"I've been fine as well," he said. "What about Kyo? That awful cat hasn't treated you too badly, has he?"

"Oh no, most of the time Kyo is actually really nice to me, except when he comes home drunk late at night, which is most nights. . ." I said, trailing off towards the end. I didn't want to admit to Yuki how mean Kyo could be when he had too much to drink.

"He doesn't hurt you, does he, Miss Honda?" Yuki asked carefully. I could see the concern in his eyes.

"Oh no! I-it's nothing like that! Not at all!" I stammered, my face turning red. "He just talks a little meaner, that's all! It's nothing serious, I promise!" Yuki smiled sadly. I knew he didn't believe me.

"Well, let me at least walk you home," he offered.

"No, it's ok. I can go alone," I said. Yuki stood and offered me his hand.

"Please, I insist," he said, smiling down at me. I took his hand and he helped me to my feet.

"What about your groceries?" I asked.

"They'll be alright, and Shigure can survive a little longer without them," Yuki said.

*meanwhile at Shigure's house*  
"Yuki. . .hurry back. . .I need. . .I need. . .my jelly buns!" Shigure cried, laying on the floor, his hand outstretched towards the door.

"Well okay I guess, I just don't want to be an inconvenience for you," I said, looking down at the ground.

"Not at all, Miss Honda. In fact, I've quite missed our walks together. The secret base is quite lonely without you," Yuki admitted. I blushed a little.


	2. Yuki's P.O.V.

I knew that stupid cat wasn't going to treat her right. I knew he would end up leaving poor Miss Honda home alone all the time. That's why I wanted to take her away, but she chose him instead. I'll never forget how that felt.

While I walked her home, however, she had a smile on her face the entire time, as if being mistreated didn't bother her.

"Miss Honda," I said to her, "you know if there's ever a problem and for whatever reason you need a place to stay, you're always welcome back at the house, no questions asked."

"I appreciate that very much, Yuki," she said, smiling up at me.

"And you should really stop by sometime, I'm sure Shigure misses you too," I said, though it was sort of an invitation under false pretenses. I really just wanted to make sure she was okay.

"I'll certainly think about it, and I'll call if I can ever make it up to see you guys," Miss Honda said. Before long, we reached the house where Miss Honda stayed with that awful cat.

"I'm serious, Miss Honda," I said, placing my grocery bags on the ground and grabbing her shoulders, forcing her to look at me. "If you need anything, anything at all, Shigure will always leave his door open for you, and I'll-I mean, we'll always be there to support you."

"Thank you, Yuki. And say thank you to Shigure for me. I truly appreciate your generosity," Miss Honda said, smiling softly up at me. Oh, how I wished she was mine.


	3. Tohru's P.O.V.

Yuki said goodbye and picked up his groceries before he left for his own house. I unlocked the front door and walked inside.

"Kyo, are you home?" I called into the house, making my way into the kitchen. I didn't hear him answer, but I continued to listen for him as I put the groceries away. I took out something for dinner and put it in the oven to cook all afternoon.

Kyo still wasn't home by the time dinner was ready, so I sat at the table alone and ate dinner by myself, as usual.

He's probably out drinking again, I thought to myself, sighing. I downed the rest of my water and dumped what was left of my dinner in the trash. I had lost my appetite. I left a note for Kyo, telling him dinner was in the fridge, and went upstairs to head to bed. I put on a comfy shirt and just decided against pajama pants. I crawled under the covers and shut my eyes, hoping to be asleep when Kyo eventually came home.

I didn't know what time it was, but I could hear Kyo stumbling around downstairs. I sighed and waited for him to eventually make his way up the stairs. He slammed the bedroom door open, making me jump.

"Tohru," he slurred, "wake up." I didn't bother to roll over and face him.

"I'm awake, Kyo," I said, not wanting to look over at him. He dropped on the bed next to me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.  
"You gotta look at me when I'm talking to you," he mumbled angrily. I slowly dragged my eyes to meet his.

"God, you're so beautiful," he sighed, crashing his lips against mine. Something about Kyo was different this time, though. He wasn't just drunk, but I couldn't name what else was distorting his personality. He pushed me onto my back and shoved his hand between my legs. I gasped, Kyo had never done anything like this before, and we've never done that before.

"K-Kyo. . .I don't t-think I'm r-ready for that. . ." I stammered, trying to pull away. My words fell on deaf ears, because Kyo showed no signs of stopping.

"I-I don't w-want this. . ." I tried again, tears forming in my eyes as he pulled my panties down and hovered over me, his lips crushing mine once again. Kyo managed to remove his pants and boxers without breaking the kiss. I tried to push him away, but to no avail.

"K-Kyo. . ." I said, choking on my own tears. He still didn't hear me, and I had to brace myself against the headboard as I felt him line up with me. I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes tight as he forced his way into me. I let out a scream of agonizing pain.

"Yeah, you like that?" Kyo breathed in my ear, drunken groans of pleasure erupting from his lips.

"N-n-no!" I cried out. I thought making love was supposed to be something special, but Kyo was treating it like it was nothing. Tears were streaming down my face as I let Kyo do what he needed to, but I wasn't enjoying it at all. He kept thrusting into me harder and faster. He moaned louder and pressed his forehead against mine. He let out one last loud moan as he orgasmed, and I could feel a hot liquid shoot up inside of me. I shuddered as tears rolled down my cheeks faster. Kyo rolled off of me and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly. I was frozen in shock. I didn't know what to do, this was my home. I had nowhere else to go.

_No, that's not true,_ I thought, recalling my earlier conversation with Yuki. I carefully climbed out of bed, my legs shaking so bad I could hardly stand on my own. I pulled on my panties and a pair of sweatpants and crept out of the bedroom as quietly as possible. At the door, I slipped on my shoes as quietly as possible and shut the door like a whisper behind me. I started walking down the path, but I became paranoid as the thought of Kyo waking and me not being there overwhelmed my thoughts, but I couldn't go back. I started running, tears flowing down my face again. After what seemed like forever and yet no time at all, I was standing in front of a familiar house. I clambered up the steps and frantically banged my fist against on the door.

"Please. . .please open the door. . .please. . ." I begged, my voice a quiet whisper. I heard footsteps shuffling inside.

"Please. . .please. . .!" I sobbed, falling to my knees. My head fell into my hands, my body shaking violently. Suddenly, the front porch was bathed in light.

"Tohru?" I heard. I looked up to see Shigure standing in the doorway, a puzzled and concerned look evident on his face. He grabbed me by my wrist and helped me stand up, and I couldn't help but grasp him tightly. I just needed someone to be there for me. Shigure helped me inside and sat me on the couch.

"I'll go wake Yuki," he said, disappearing upstairs. I pulled my knees to my chest and fell onto my side, still shaking. I felt disgusting, dirty, broken. . .violated. I burst into loud sobs.

"Miss Honda?" I heard Yuki say, appearing very suddenly. I felt his hand touch my head, stroking my hair in a calming manner.

"Miss Honda," he said, a lot softer, "what did he do to you?" I just shook my head as another wave of sobs racked my body. I heard Yuki sigh, and I was suddenly being lifted into the air. I opened my eyes and saw Yuki carrying me up the stairs.

"If you don't want to talk about it right now, it's ok. You don't have to. All you need to do right now is get some rest," he said softly. He opened the door to my old room and I found it was almost exactly the same as when I left.

"Oh, Miss Honda, you don't have any things, do you?" Yuki asked, noticing all I had with me was what I was wearing. I shook my head no.

"I assume you don't want to go back there so soon," he said, noticing the scared look on my face at even the thought. "Would you like me to go collect your things?" I thought for a moment.

"I don't want you to have to go get my things, and I don't want to go alone," I said, my voice wavering slightly. "Can we both go tomorrow? With Shigure too, maybe?" Yuki looked at me, a heartbroken expression on his face.

"That stupid cat did something really traumatizing to you, didn't he?" he said, tilting his head slightly. I looked away from him, not wanting him to see how disgusting I felt. Yuki put his hand on the top of my head.

"Well, you just get some rest. I'll go talk to Shigure," he said, kissing my forehead. I flinched slightly at the gesture, and Yuki looked at me with that pained and heartbroken expression once more. He waited by the bedroom door while I climbed under the covers and got comfortable.

"Goodnight, Miss Honda," Yuki said, shutting off the lights and closing the bedroom door.


	4. Yuki's P.O.V.

My whole body burned with rage when I came downstairs and saw poor Miss Honda curled up on the couch, bawling her eyes out. What in the hell did that stupid cat do to her?!

"Miss Honda?" I asked, trying to get her attention. I reached out and began stroking her soft hair. My heart ached to hold her close, but something told me that wasn't what she needed right now.

"Miss Honda, what did he do to you?" I asked softly. Miss Honda simply shook her head no and cried even harder. I wanted to break that damn cat's skull open. Instead, I picked up Miss Honda to bring her to her room. She opened her eyes to look at me.

"If you don't want to talk about it right now, it's ok. You don't have to. All you need to do right now is get some rest," I told her. I noticed that she was only wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants, and didn't seem to have anything else with her.

"Oh, Miss Honda, you don't have any things, do you?" I asked. She shook her head no.

"I assume you don't want to go back there so soon," I said, noticing the scared look on Miss Honda's face at even the thought. "Would you like me to go collect your things?" Miss Honda seemed to think for a moment.

"I don't want you to have to go get my things, and I don't want to go alone," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "Can we both go tomorrow? With Shigure too, maybe?" I looked at poor Miss Honda, my heart breaking just looking at the state she was in.

"That stupid cat did something really traumatizing to you, didn't he?" I said, tilting my head to the side. She looked away, hiding her face from me. I rested my hand on top of her head.

"Well you just get some rest. I'll go talk to Shigure," I said, kissing her forehead. I felt her flinch away from me and my heart broke for her all over again. I waited by her bedroom door while she got comfortable in bed.

"Goodnight, Miss Honda," I said, shutting her lights off. I shut her door quietly behind me and tried to control my anger as I walked down the hall towards Shigure's room. I noticed his light was still on; he must have been expecting me. I opened his door and was about to say something when he held up his hand.

"We're taking a trip to see Kyo tomorrow?" Shigure asked, making eye contact with me from across the room.

"How did you know?" I asked, momentarily stunned.

"Well, you did tell me earlier that you offered her refuge from him if she needed it, and then I find her on our doorstep at three in the morning banging on the door and bawling her eyes out," he explained. I shuddered at the image, even seeing her on the couch like that made me clench my fists in anger.

"She wants us to accompany her there, and I honestly don't blame her," I said, sitting on the floor and leaning my head against the wall.

"Did she tell you what happened?" Shigure asked, sitting forward almost eagerly. I shook my head.

"No, I think it's still too early for her. She may tell us tomorrow, she may tell us in a week or a month, or she may never tell us at all. It's all up to her," I said, sliding my eyes shut.

"You really care for Tohru, don't you?" he said. I felt his stare on me and began growing uncomfortable. I stood and opened the door.

"I'm going to go check on Miss Honda," I muttered, practically to myself, shutting his door behind me. I walked slowly down the hall and stopped outside her door, bracing myself in case she was crying again. I opened her door slowly, peeking inside. Thankfully, she was asleep, though her face was contorted in pain. I walked over to her bedside quietly, kneeling next to her. I stroked her face gently with one hand and propped my head up on the other. She seemed to relax at my touch, and I was glad. I didn't want to leave her side in her time of need, so I sat on the floor with my back against her bed. She whimpered and rolled over, her arm hanging off the bed. I smiled and took her hand gently, rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand as I drifted off to sleep as well.


	5. Tohru's P.O.V.

Even in my dreams, the haunting memory of Kyo violating me didn't disappear. I could still feel his hot breath, I could still smell the alcohol, and the pain. . .oh God, the pain. Suddenly, everything started to disappear, as if someone was forcing this nightmare from my head with a calming presence. Everything went black, but it was better than reliving everything. However, just as suddenly as this presence appeared, it was gone. I didn't want the nightmare to come back, and the presence must have sensed this, as it returned again. It didn't stay for long, because eventually the memory came crashing back to me, interrupting my peaceful nothingness. I tried to protest, but no sound came out. I tried screaming at Kyo, anything to get him to stop.

"N-no. . .n-NO! I don't want this!" I cried, sitting up violently. Yuki was suddenly by my side, caressing my face gently. I looked around the room, taking note that this was my old bedroom and not the one I shared with Kyo. I shuddered as tears sprang to my eyes again.

"N-no. . ." I cried softly, burying my head into Yuki's chest. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, protecting me.

"Ssh, it's okay, he can't get you here. It's okay, Miss Honda. You're safe here. Ssh, it's alright," he said, trying his best to comfort me. I wrapped my arms around his midsection and pulled myself tight against him. I felt so safe in his arms. As my tears gradually subsided, Yuki kissed the top of my head.

"Have you been in here with me all night?" I asked him softly.

"On the floor, yes," he said, nodding slightly.

"Will you stay with me for the rest of the night?" I asked, feeling selfish for asking it of him.

"Anything you need, Miss Honda, I'll be here for you," Yuki said, smiling at me. I went to lay back down and protested when Yuki sat on the floor again.

"I need you up here, with me. . ." I said shyly, making room on my bed for him. Yuki shook his head but climbed in next to me anyway.

"I'll be right here if you need anything," he said, staring deeply into my eyes. I inched my way closer to him so he would hold me, as that's when I felt safest. He started stroking my hair again, and I fell asleep easily.

"N-no! I don't want to do this!" I screamed, bolting upright. Panting, I looked around. I was still in my old room, and Yuki was next to me, sitting up to hold me tight. I pressed my face against his shoulder, but no tears came.

"It's alright, Miss Honda. You're safe here," Yuki said softly, caressing my cheeks gently. I pulled away and he looked at me, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Yuki. . ." I said softly, averting my gaze.

"What is it, Miss Honda?" Yuki asked.

"I. . .I want to talk about. . .what happened. . .with Kyo. . ." I said, trailing off. He placed his hand on my shoulder supportively.

"Go ahead, I'm here for you," he said with a small smile. I took a few deep breaths to steady myself.

"Well, I suppose it started when he came home. . .drunk, as usual. . ." I started. Yuki was listening intently. "I could hear him banging around downstairs. . .he must have been looking for something. . .I don't know. . .but then. . .he. . .he came upstairs. . .I. . .I told him I wasn't ready. . .but. . .he didn't listen. . .and he. . .he just. . .kept going. . .I kept yelling no. . .but. . .he ignored me. . .it hurt. . .it hurt so bad. . ." Tears were forming in my eyes again. Yuki pulled me into another tight embrace.

"I think I understand. You don't have to keep talking about it if you don't want to," he said, holding me close. I just nodded into his shoulder.

"I feel so. . .broken. . .and violated. . ." I sobbed. Yuki and I stayed like that until the first morning rays streamed through my window.


	6. Yuki's P.O.V.

In the early afternoon, the three of us got ready to walk to the other house to collect Miss Honda's belongings. Miss Honda grasped my hand tightly for comfort, but worked her way behind me the closer to the house we got. She was afraid he was going to be home. When we reached the front door, Miss Honda grabbed the spare key from outside and went to unlock the door, her hand shaking so violently that she dropped the key. I picked it up and handed it to her again, leaving my hand atop hers to steady it. When we opened the door, there was nothing to be seen but a destroyed sitting room. Miss Honda began shaking uncontrollably. She stepped tentatively into the house, peeking inside the kitchen to make sure he wasn't there. The kitchen was a mess too, but there was a note on the dining table. Miss Honda handed it to me to read, as her hands were shaking too violently. I took the note from her and placed one arm around her waist to try to comfort her.

" _'Tohru, you had better be in this house when I come home tonight, or things aren't going to go well. I'm pissed you'd run off without telling me anything at all. It's like you disappeared overnight, and that isn't ok. I'll be back around eight tonight and you better be here'_ ," I read aloud. Miss Honda had begun shaking even harder.

"It's ok, Miss Honda, you won't be here when he gets back. He can't get to you," I reassured her. She nodded, but she didn't seem convinced. The three of us ventured upstairs, and it took a little coaxing to get Miss Honda inside her bedroom to show us where everything was. I blocked the bed from her sight as she and Shigure gathered all of Miss Honda's belongings, save for a picture on her bedside table. I grabbed it and stuck it under my jacket as I knew it was something she was going to want. As we went to leave, she paused, looking back at the kitchen where I had dropped the note on the floor. She went in and picked it up, placing it back on the table. She rustled through some drawers in the kitchen before producing a pen. I walked over to her to steady her hand, just like I did with the key. Together, I helped her write _I'm sorry_ at the bottom of the note.


	7. Kyo's P.O.V.

I practically ran back home after work, fully expecting Tohru to be there, apologizing for worrying me so much. That's what she always did, even over minor things. Why would it be different now?

When I opened the front door, all of the lights were still off, except for the one in the kitchen. I walked in slowly, stepping over the mess I made of the sitting room. However, Tohru wasn't in the kitchen at all. My eyes snapped to the note I had left this morning and snatched it off the table, my hands shaking with rage. Sorry? What in the hell was that supposed to mean? I ran up the stairs, checking every room up there. I saved our bedroom for last. Surly she was in there. . .but nothing. As soon as I slid the door open, I knew something was wrong. I looked around and noticed that all of Tohru's stuff was gone, even that silly picture on her nightstand was gone. I let out a loud yell, striking my fist against the wall next to me. Sorry? _Sorry?!_ If she thought she was sorry now, she had another thing coming to her. I was going to make her sorry, and I knew exactly where to go.


	8. Yuki's P.O.V.

It was around eight thirty at night and Miss Honda was taking a nice, long shower to ease her nerves. I was in the sitting room, reading a book and waiting for her. I knew she'd want to go to bed right after, and I wanted to make sure she was okay for the night.

I heard someone yelling in the distance, coming closer at an alarming rate. This was no good, as it would surely upset Miss Honda again. I sighed and put my book down, stretching out my arms as I walked towards the front door. I stood on the front porch and waited for the stupid cat to show up. He was close.

Eventually, I saw his stupid orange hair through the trees, approaching rather quickly. I could tell he was looking for a fight, and in his blind rage, this was going to be an easy one. However, Kyo stopped just shy of the first step, shaking with anger.

"Bring her out," he demanded through clenched teeth. I crossed my arms.

"No," I said defiantly.

"If you so much as laid a finger on her. . ." Kyo started, but I was quick to cut him off.

"Me lay a finger on her? I think you should worry about yourself before you go accusing others," I said.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Kyo spat.

"How dare you lay a finger on Miss Honda without her consent? She came here crying at three in the morning because you were drunk and couldn't control yourself," I spat back.

"What are you talking about?" Kyo growled.

"If you weren't so stupid you would have grasped the meaning the first time," I said coolly, narrowing my eyes at the cat. "It's a very simple concept; you came home drunk and you violated poor Miss Honda, despite her many protests."

"Don't call me stupid!" the cat hissed.

"Then don't act stupid, and don't change the subject. You raped Miss Honda, and now she doesn't want to be around you," I stated.

"You damn rat!" Kyo screamed, lunging towards me with his fists clenched. "I would never do such a thing!"

"I bet you don't even remember that night at all!" I yelled back at him. "How can you say you would never when she came crying to us that you did?! Miss Honda wouldn't lie about such a thing!" Kyo suddenly stopped, his fists dropping to his sides in surprise.

"Y-you're right. She wouldn't lie about anything, especially not something as serious as that," Kyo said rather softly. "Please, can I see her?"

"I have to make sure she actually wants to see you," I said, shutting the front door. I peeked out the window and that stupid cat hadn't moved, so I walked over to the bathroom. I couldn't hear the water running, so I knocked on the door softly.

"Miss Honda? It's just me. There's someone here who wants to see you," I said slowly. I heard her breathe sharply inward, as if she already knew who it was.

"I-is it. . .is it. . ." She stammered, unable to get the words out.

"It is," I said softly. "You don't have to go see him. I can go back out and tell him to leave."

"No, I want to do it," she said, her voice surprisingly strong. "I need to tell him what's on my mind." The bathroom door slid open, revealing Mss Honda wrapped only in her towel.

"Are you sure you don't want to get dressed first?" I asked. She shook her head.

"If I wait, I'll just lose my courage," she said, marching bravely to the front door. I followed closely behind in case things got bad and I needed to escort her from the situation. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Kyo was sitting on the front step with his back to us, but he turned around when he heard the door open. He stood quickly.

"T-Tohru. . .I-" he started, but Miss Honda cut him off.

"I don't want to hear _I'm sorry_ anymore, Kyo. I'm tired of it. You always leave me alone all day long, you come home drunk, and you're usually really mean when you are, and I forgave you for all of that. They were just words, after all. But this. . .I'm not sure I could ever forgive this. . .you hurt me. . .you hurt me so badly. . ." Tohru said, clutching the front of her towel tightly as tears began to form in her eyes. I reached out and put my arm around her for comfort, making the cat visibly upset.

"Tohru, you know I would never hurt you. . ." Kyo tried to say, but Miss Honda flinched at his words.

"But Kyo. . .you did. . .you hurt me a lot. . .in a lot of different ways. . ." Miss Honda said, trying to turn away from him.

"I-I want. . .I want to go back inside, Yuki. . ." she sniffed, rubbing at her eyes to keep the tears away.

"You've said enough, Miss Honda. You can go back inside," I told her. She nodded and ran for the door before Kyo could say anything else.

"Is that what you wanted? To make her cry again?" I said coldly, shutting the front door to leave the stupid cat all alone outside. I walked towards the bathroom again where I heard stifled cries from inside. I knocked but she didn't answer.

"Miss Honda, I'm coming in," I said. I opened the door slowly, averting my eyes in case she was undressed. She was still wrapped in her towel, but she had collapsed onto the floor. She looked up at me helplessly and my heart ached for the poor girl. I knelt on the floor next to her and collected her in my lap, leaning her head against my chest. I gently rocked her back and forth on the floor and she cried into my chest until she fell asleep. I stood carefully, trying not to jostle her too much as I carried her bridal style to her bedroom. I wasn't going to try to dress Miss Honda, so I left her wrapped in her towel and tucked her into bed gently, leaving her with a kiss on her forehead as I retired to my own bed.

I was laying in bed in my boxers, trying to fall back asleep. Something outside had woken me, but I didn't know what. There was a sudden knock on my door that almost made me fall out of bed.

"Come in," I said, expecting Shigure to walk in, but it wasn't him. Miss Honda stood in the doorway, her face red from crying. She had thrown on a pair of panties and a large shirt, but that was it.  


"C-can I stay in here tonight? With you?" she asked shyly, dipping her head to hide her face.

"Of course, Miss Honda," I said, sliding over to make room for her. I lifted the blanket so she could crawl underneath and she immediately wormed her way against my chest, sighing happily.

"I feel so safe in your arms," she admitted sleepily.

"That's because you are safe in my arms," I said, smiling down at her.

"Can I stay here?" she asked slowly.

"I already said yes," I chuckled.

"No, I meant forever. I want to be in your arms forever," Miss Honda said as she drifted off to sleep. I was shocked for a moment, trying to recover from her words.

"I'd like that, Miss Honda," I admitted, even though she was asleep. "I'd like that a lot."


	9. Tohru's P.O.V.

I was astonished and delighted to wake up and realize I didn't have any nightmares last night. Waking up and being in Yuki's arms was just a plus. I rolled over to face him, excited to see his eyes flutter open next to me. I don't know what had gotten into me, but I felt great today.

"Your smile is the loveliest thing to wake up to," Yuki said, stroking my face gently. I blushed lightly.

"Yuki. . .?" I asked slowly.

"What is it, Miss Honda?" he responded, staring at me to make sure nothing was wrong.

"Uhm. . .well. . .will you. . .call me Tohru. . .instead of Miss Honda?" I asked softly.

"If that's what you want, I can do that for you," he said, smiling a little.

"Oh, and Yuki? There's one more thing. . ." I said, twisting my hands in his sheets.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Can. . .can you kiss me? I. . .I don't want to be afraid anymore. . ." I asked, even softer than last time. Yuki must have heard me, because he cupped my face in his hand, bringing my face closer to his, and touched my lips with his in a tender, loving kiss. It was gentle and short, but there was a lot of love behind it.

"Better?" Yuki asked, smiling at me again.

"Uhm. . .well. . .I-I guess. . .I'm not afraid. . .when I'm with you. . ." I said, blushing. I understood the implications of what I meant.

"Miss-I mean, Tohru," Yuki began, "You can't be implying. . .after such a short amount of time?"

"I don't want to be afraid of it because of one person. I know you'll be gentle with me. . ." I said, trailing off and dropping my eyes to the sheets. I didn't want to see his face if he rejected me, and I wouldn't blame him if he did. How could he love someone so dirty and broken? He responded by kissing me passionately, lingering the kiss as long as possible.

"If something doesn't feel right, please don't hesitate to speak up. I want to make this pleasurable for you so please let me know if I do something wrong," Yuki said, kissing me again.


	10. Yuki's P.O.V.

I couldn't believe what was going to happen. Tohru was asking for me, in the most private and intimate of ways, merely days after her attack. I swung my leg over her body and hovered over her, giving her a moment to adjust before kissing her again. I put all of my love and passion for Tohru into each and every kiss, as I had no idea which would be our last. I was touching her face gently, surprised at a movement between our bodies. Tohru's hand was wandering, and it was traveling very low. I moaned as she touched the slight bulge in my pants, tentatively at first, but then more firmly as she got used to the idea. I let out a low moan as she touched me through my boxers.

"Is that good for you, Yuki?" she asked, unsure of her own actions.

"V-very good," I panted as she tugged a little. I bit my bottom lip to try to keep my outbursts to a minimum. Then, she did something even more unexpected. She slipped her hands into my boxers to play with me directly. I let out a small cry of pleasure as she squeezed and tugged experimentally, before settling into a regular pumping motion.

"O-oh. . .oh T-Tohru. . ." I moaned softly. I could feel a tightening sensation in my core, and I didn't want to finish just yet.

"S-stop," I stammered. She pulled her hand away just in time, and I tried to collect myself again.

"Did I do something wrong?" Tohru asked.

"No, you were doing everything right. I'm just not ready to be done with you yet," I explained, kissing her neck softly. She rolled her head to the side, allowing me better access to her soft, ivory skin. I bit down gently, hoping to not leave any marks on her. I'd never hear the end of it from Shigure if I did. Tohru tugged impatiently at the hem of her shirt, so I reached down and assisted in pulling it off of her. I began to kiss her neck again, leaving a small trail down towards where her breasts were. I slowly licked one and watched her face to gauge her reaction. Her eyes closed and her back arched a little, so I assumed I had the okay to continue. I lightly licked, sucked, and nipped at her left breast, kneading the other one gently so it didn't feel left out. Though they were technically small, I thought Tohru's breasts were the perfect size. They fit so nicely in the palm of my hand. Tohru was moaning and wriggling beneath me. I could tell by the way she moved her hips that she was looking for something, anything to grind against to relieve some tension. I smiled and slipped my hand lower, pausing as she flinched away when my hand reached between her legs.

"Are you alright, Tohru?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"Y-yea, just give me a minute," she said, smiling up at me. I leaned down and kissed her again, hoping to keep the romantic mood alive. After a few minutes, she nodded at me, signaling me to keep going. I slowly stuck my hand between her legs, making sure she was still okay with it. She bit down on her lip and let out a small moan as I gently touched the wet spot of her panties. I stuck my hand in her panties and rubbed her core in slow circles, eventually finding a hard nub by her entrance. She gasped in pleasure when I brushed against it, so I began rubbing it in circles. Tohru moaned, almost too loud, and bucked her hips against my hand. My heart was pounding. I couldn't believe I got to see Tohru so worked up like this, something only one man in the world should ever see, and she was choosing me.

"I-I think I'm ready," Tohru said softly.

"Are you one hundred percent sure? There's no going back once we do," I said. I didn't want this experience to be upsetting for her.

"I'm sure," she said, her hair splayed about the pillow. I slowly slid her panties off, waiting for her to protest, but she never did. I stood and removed my boxers slowly, my arousal springing to life before her. I climbed back over her and positioned myself by her warm, inviting entrance.

"This might hurt a little at first," I warned her. "Let me know if you need to stop." She nodded at me and I slowly pushed my way inside her, stopping as she winced after the tip was in. I pushed a little farther and she grabbed at my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but there's still a bit more to go," I told her, pushing in just a little bit farther. I stopped around the halfway point to let her relax a little bit more.

"You're halfway there, Tohru. You're doing such a good job. Just a few more inches, I promise," I said, moving down to kiss her neck. I was trying to make her more comfortable by doing so, and it seemed to work a little. I could feel her vice grip loosening, and felt her become used to the few inches inside of her. I pushed a little farther in, almost to the base. I shuddered and let out a small moan. It felt so good being inside Tohru. When I was finally all the way inside her, we stayed like that for a few minutes to allow Tohru to adjust to my entire length. She looked up at me and nodded that she was ready. I started thrusting in and out of her, going slow to make sure I didn't hurt her, but as we went along and we were both filled with more intense pleasure, the thrusting got harder.

"Oh, T-Tohru. . .you're so. . .tight. . ." I moaned.

"Nng. . .Y-Yuki. . .f-faster. . .please. . ." Tohru moaned underneath me, trying to control her volume. I happily obliged to her request and began thrusting my shaft into her faster than before, using the headboard as leverage. I was going as deep and hard and fast as I possibly could when I finally felt Tohru tighten around me.

"Y-Yuki. . .! I-I'm gonna. . .c-cuu-aahhh!" Tohru practically screamed in pleasure as she reached her orgasm. I held back a bit to let her ride out her euphoria before I let myself indulge in my own.

"Nng. . .T-Tohru. . .I'm gonna. . .gonna cum. . ." I panted, thrusting deeply into her. I let out a loud moan as I allowed myself to fill Tohru. I gave a last few thrusts to ensure I was empty and Tohru was satisfied before I allowed myself to collapse on the bed next to her. I rolled onto my back as Tohru pulled herself against my side. I put my arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Yuki," she sighed happily.

"For what?" I asked, pulling her tighter to me.

"For being gentle with me," she said, nuzzling her head against my shoulder.

"Of course. Anything for you, Mi-I mean, Tohru," I said, rubbing her arm.

"Yuki?" Tohru asked, pulling herself up onto my chest.

"Yes?" I said, looking down at her.

"Do you love me?" she asked, looking deep into my eyes. I sighed and pursed my lips.

"Yes, I would say I love you," I said slowly, smiling down at her. She smiled back and tucked her head against my chest.

"Well that's good, because I love you too," she sighed.

"You know," I started, propping myself up on my elbow to look at her better, "I don't think it would be a good idea to jump into something so quickly. This may just be a defense mechanism you put up to protect yourself, whether you know it or not. I think we should wait a little while and see how you feel afterwards." She started to get teary eyed.

"Does that mean I can't stay with you if I need you?" Tohru asked slowly, a tear rolling down her cheek. I reached my hand up to catch it.

"Of course you can stay with me. I'll always be here for you. I just don't think it would be a good idea to let it develop into anything more right now," I explained, rubbing my hand on her arm. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, nodding into my chest.

"Are you ready to head down for breakfast?" I asked, kissing her forehead.

"No, I think I want to stay up here a little longer," she said.

"Well, I'll head down and make us something and I'll bring it back up here, okay?" I offered, brushing a few stray hairs out of her face. She simply nodded. I rolled out of bed and pulled on my boxers and a loose pair of pants. I shut the door behind me to give Tohru some privacy. I stuck my hands in my pockets as I walked down the stairs. Shigure was already in the sitting room when I came down.

"Well, good morning," Shigure said, smirking at me over his cup.

"What's so good about morning?" I said, trying to shake off his stare.

"You can't play dumb, Yuki. Your room isn't soundproof," he said, sipping his drink. "I don't know how you could take advantage of poor, vulnerable Tohru in such a brutish manner." I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment and walked into the kitchen. As I was cooking, I heard Shigure walk into the kitchen.

"Oh, by the way, I called Hatori to come check up on Tohru today, see how she's doing and all," he said. "What are you cooking?"

"Nothing for you," I said, stirring the pot. I turned off the stove and distributed the oatmeal between two bowls.

"Now you're just being cruel, Yuki," Shigure pouted as I poured two cups of orange juice.

"I just went shopping, so if you haven't eaten yet I'm sure you can find something," I said, placing everything on a tray. I walked back up the stairs, ignoring Shigure's pitiful, dramatic complaints. I opened the door to my room and saw Tohru sitting up in bed, pressing one of my pillows to her face. I placed breakfast on the kotatsu and hurried over to her.

"Tohru, is something wrong?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her. She looked up from the pillow sheepishly.

"N-no, I was just smelling it," she said, blushing bright red. I smiled and hugged her tightly. I stood and took her hand.

"Let's eat breakfast before it gets cold," I said, helping to her feet. I blushed a little when she stood and I noticed that she had put on one of my shirts. We ate together mostly in silence with a little small talk in between. As I was picking up our dishes, I remembered what Shigure had told me this morning.

"Oh, Shigure said he called Hatori to come check on you and make sure that you're okay," I told her. "You may want to be dressed when he gets here."

"Can we stay in bed a little longer though?" Tohru asked me quietly. I smiled at her and helped her stand up again. I picked her up bridal style and gently tossed her on the bed, making her giggle and crawl under the covers. I crawled under the blankets with her and pulled her tight to my chest. I nuzzled her nose, making her blush.

"Get some more rest, Tohru. I'll be right here if you need me," I said. She nodded and curled up into my chest. I stroked her soft hair, drifting off with her. I was so glad she was able to break the curse so I could hold her close.


	11. Hatori's P.O.V.

It was such a bother to have to travel so far from the main house, but I felt as if it was worth it for Tohru Honda. After all, she was the one who broke the curse. I felt as if I owed her my life. Even if she hadn't, a situation like this was something that definitely needed to be checked on. I knocked loudly on the door to Shigure's house, and he answered the door almost immediately.

"Hatori! Thank you for coming out here so quickly," he said, greeting me at the door.

"You should have called me as soon as she showed up here," I said, brushing past him into the house.

"I would have, but we didn't know what happened until yesterday morning when we went to collect her things from Kyo's house," he explained.

"Where is she right now?" I asked.

"I believe she's upstairs with Yuki," he mused, heading for the stairs. I followed behind him. We stopped by Yuki's room first, because his was the closest to the stairs. Shigure knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so he slid the door open slowly. There were dirty dishes on his kotatsu and he was asleep with his back to us, various clothing items scattered on the floor. We both approached him quietly as we knew what could happen if he woke up angry. When we got close to his bed, we could see Tohru wrapped up in Yuki's arms, and they both appeared to be smiling. As we watched them, Tohru's face contorted with fear and she started to whimper, but only momentarily as Yuki soothed her by pulling her closer to him.

"Should we wake them up?" Shigure asked quietly.

"No, I can wait until she wakes up on her own. She probably needs the rest, anyway," I said, turning and starting to leave the room. Shigure wasn't far behind me, and he shut the door to let the pair sleep a little longer.

"Are you sure you don't mind waiting? Who knows how long she could be out," Shigure said once we were back in the sitting room.

"For a matter such as this, I can wait. Her well being is my top priority right now, so I could stand to have some patience," I said.

"Well, while you wait, would you like a cup of tea?" he offered.

"Sure," I said, throwing my bag off to the side. I figured I'd have a long wait.

"Wonderful! While we're at it, I should call Aya. It's been so long since I last saw him," he mumbled to himself as he walked into the kitchen.

After a few minutes, he came back into the sitting room with two fresh cups of tea. Not long after that, the front door flew open.

"Hello, everyone! At last, I am here! Did you miss me? Of course you did!" Ayame said very flamboyantly, as usual.

"Aya!" Shigure exclaimed. "Come into my arms, my love!" The two embraced rather loudly, and I cleared my throat.

"The two of you should really keep it down. You don't want to wake Tohru," I said cooly.

"What's wrong with our little Tohru? Is she alright?" Ayame asked, his mood turning rather serious for a change. Shigure sighed.

"It's a very sensitive topic, and I don't know if Tohru wants anyone else to know about it right now," he said, sitting on the couch. Ayame took a seat next to him, clasping his hands within his own.

"Please, tell me what happened so I may avoid upsetting our little Tohru," Ayame said, looking deep into Shigure's eyes. I wanted to vomit.

"Well, it happened between her and Kyo," Shigure said, looking down at the floor.

"What did that mean old Kyo do to our precious Tohru?" he asked, his eyes wide with anticipation and worry.

"Well, it's no secret that Kyo has been drinking a lot lately, and that was bound to have it's consequences eventually. He was verbally abusive to Tohru if she was still awake when he came home early in the morning, but that never lead to anything. Apparently though, when he came home the other night, he didn't want to go straight to bed. He woke Tohru up and he. . .he. . .there's no easy way to say this. He. . .he raped her, Aya," Shigure said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't talk about Tohru's situation without her consent," I heard from across the room. I looked towards the stairs and saw Yuki standing there in baggy pants, but he hadn't bothered to put a shirt on.

"Yuki, how long have you been standing there?" Shigure asked, whirling around to face him. "And since when did you start calling her by her first name?"

"I've been here long enough to know you can't keep something personal like this a secret, and that second part is none of your concern," Yuki said rather angrily.

"Is Tohru awake? I'd like to make sure she's alright," I said, distracting Yuki from Shigure. He looked like he was about to speak when we heard a noise from upstairs.

"Y-Yuki?" a tired and scared voice called. Yuki turned around and ran up the stairs, probably to make sure she was okay. Shigure turned to me.

"He's whipped," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at me.


	12. Tohru's P.O.V.

I felt cold and alone again. I could see myself back in that room, and I could hear noises from downstairs. It had to be Kyo, I just knew it. The fear alone of seeing him again caused me to bolt upright in bed. The scene had changed. I was in Yuki's room now, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. I saw the dirty dishes from this morning and knew I must be awake. I could hear voices coming from downstairs, so I slowly crept out of bed to see what was going on. I was by the top of the stairs when I realized I only had on one of Yuki's shirts, so I called down to him.

"Y-Yuki?" I called, my voice tired and scared. I saw him turn around and hurry up the stairs. He pulled me into his arms and held me tight.

"Hey, what are you doing out of bed?" he asked softly.

"I had a bad dream," I said, burying my face in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Tohru, but I'm here now. It's okay," he said, stroking my hair slowly. "You might want to change, though. Hatori is here to see you."

"I don't want to be alone," I mumbled into his chest. "Please come with me?" I looked up and saw him blush bright red.

"Uhm, I-if that's, uh, what you want, I-I can do that," he stammered, averting his eyes. I took him by the hand and led him to my room, so I could at least put on a skirt or something. I shut my door and Yuki stood in the middle of my room awkwardly.

"Yuki?" I asked.

"Yes, Tohru?" he said, looking over at me.

"Can I keep this on a little longer?" I asked, pulling on the hem of his shirt. He smiled at me.

"Of course you can," he said, planting a kiss on top of my head. "In fact, why don't you keep that one?"

"Are you sure?" I asked, not wanting to take anything from him.

"Of course," he said, ruffling my hair. I smiled up at him and turned to my dresser to look for a skirt. I pulled one out and stepped into it, tucking Yuki's shirt into the waistband.

"I'm ready," I said, grabbing his hand. He smiled down at me and led me downstairs to where Hatori was waiting. He stood as soon as he saw me, bag in hand.

"Actually, I'd like to speak to you privately, if that's alright," Hatori said, walking towards me. I looked up at Yuki and he gave me a slight nod, releasing my hand. Hatori and I walked back up the stairs to my room.

"Just sit on the edge of your bed," he said, setting his bag down. He didn't pull anything out, but instead sat next to me.

"Now, Tohru, tell me everything that happened. I need every detail in order to make sure you're alright," he said. I sighed and looked down at my hands, preparing to relive every horrible second.


	13. Yuki's P.O.V.

I watched Tohru ascend the stairs again, Hatori close behind her. I longed to be by her side in case she started crying again, but I knew that Hatori knew what was best for her right now. I felt someone come up next to me and throw their arm around my shoulders, causing me to jump.

"Looks like you're whipped," Shigure said, shaking me gently.

"I am most certainly not _'whipped'_ ," I said, brushing him off of me.

"My my, Yuki, so indecent to walk around half naked in front of your older brother," I heard behind me. I whipped around to see Ayame standing there, smirking at me.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" I asked, clenching my hands into fists at my sides.

"How cruel. You didn't even notice me when you came down the first time?" he said, turning away as if he was upset. I just rolled my eyes.

"However, if that is how you wish to dress, then I shall join you and maybe, just maybe, we can bond as brothers!" Ayame exclaimed, reaching down to pull his shirt off. I grabbed a book off the shelf behind me and hurled it at his head, hearing a satisfying _thud_ as it connected with his face.

"Keep your clothes on," I said, crossing my arms.

"Aya!" Shigure cried, running over to him. "Are you alright, my love?" Ayame lifted his head to look him in the eyes.

"I am now, being in your arms," he said softly. I gagged loudly and walked into the kitchen to find the bleach and pour it into my eyes. I poured myself some tea and sat on the counter to wait for Hatori to be done checking up on Tohru. There was no way in hell I was going to wait in the same room as those two.

About half an hour later, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I poked my head out of the door and saw Hatori, but Tohru wasn't with him.

"Where's Tohru?" I asked him.

"She's waiting for you upstairs in her room," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder and guiding me back into the kitchen, "but I'd like to talk with you first." I leaned against the counter and he stood in front of me, his hands in his pockets.

"She cares about you a lot, you know," he said, looking up at me. "I don't think it's just a way to keep herself from feeling hurt. Now, I can't tell you what to do, and I'm no psychologist, but if she asks to be with you, I think you should let her. Not only for her sake, but for yours as well," he explained. "And as for what happened? She's okay. Obviously very shaken up about it, and with good reason, but she's not seriously injured." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now run upstairs, she's waiting for you," Hatori said, giving me a small smile. I smiled back at him and wasted no time in hurrying out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Tohru's room. I knocked on her door.

"Come in," she said softly. I opened her door and saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, drying her eyes on her blanket. She looked up at me and smiled. I walked over to her and pulled her off the bed and into my arms, holding her tight against me.

"I'm sorry I told you we shouldn't be together this morning. I just didn't want to end up hurting you," I explained to her.

"It's okay, Yuki. I forgive you," she said, nuzzling into my chest. I pulled back to look at her.

"I don't think you understand. Tohru, I want you to be mine. Please, will you be my princess?" I asked, watching the confusion on her face turn to shock, and then utter happiness.

"Yes, Yuki, I will. I will be yours," she said, pushing her face into my chest again. I smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm so happy," Tohru said, her voice slightly muffled.


	14. Kyo's P.O.V.

I was walking down the street with my hands deep in my pockets. I was glaring at the ground. I was mad at Tohru for leaving. I was mad at Yuki for being the one she ran to for comfort. But most of all, I was mad at myself for what I had done. I wanted her back. No, I _needed_ Tohru back in my life. I decided I needed to make a change, but I didn't know where to start. I looked to the sky and prayed for a sign, although I didn't know who I was praying too. All of a sudden, I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and when I looked up, I was face to face with a sign talking about a group called _Alcoholics Anonymous_. I had been given an actual sign. I smiled to myself and thanked whoever was up there for answering my prayer. I stood and brushed myself off, memorizing the building for tonight.

"I'm going to start making a change in my life, for Tohru!" I said aloud as I continued on my way to work.

I stretched my back out as I prepared to leave work. I turned my head to see a few of my coworkers approaching me, coats in hand.

"Heading to the bar after work today, Kyo? I know you had an emergency and had to rush home the other day, but we haven't seen you there since," one of them said. I shook my head.

"No, I'm done with drinking. It's ruined my life, and I need to try and salvage what's left of it," I said, turning away from them.

"Come on, Kyo, it can't be that bad," another coworker piped up.

"Don't act like you know everything," I growled, walking away from them. I heard them following me, but I payed them no mind. I sighed heavily as I stopped on the sidewalk outside the building where my meeting was to take place. They were still behind me, but I walked in anyway. I walked in and instantly regretted it. Everyone turned to look at me.

"Please, take a seat," an older man with a clipboard said, gesturing to an empty chair. I agonizingly walked over and sat.

"Let's resume introductions, shall we?" he said, gesturing to the woman a few chairs to my right. She stood.

"My name is Kaede, and I'm an alcoholic," she said, sitting down again.

"Hi, Kaede," the group said in unison. A few more people introduced themselves, and then it was my turn. My skin was crawling as I stood.

"My name is Kyo, and I'm an alcoholic," I said.


	15. Yuki's P.O.V.

"A date?" Tohru said, looking up from the dishes in the sink.

"Yes, a date," I said, twirling her soft brown hair around my fingers. "I want to take you out for dinner tonight."

"But I don't have money to help pay," she said, drying her hands on a towel. "Kyo wouldn't let me work, so I don't have anything saved up."

"Who would let a lovely princess such as yourself pay for her own meal?" I said, kissing her forehead. She blushed and looked down.

"But-" she started.

"But nothing. I want to treat you to something special," I said, tipping her chin up so she would look at me. "Now go upstairs and get ready. I'll finish up down here. I insist." I could see she wanted to protest, but instead smiled up at me and left the kitchen. I smiled and turned to finish the last few dishes in the sink as Shigure walked in.

"Yuki, when did you start doing the dishes?" he asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Since I sent Tohru upstairs to get ready," I said, not bothering to turn my head towards him.

"Oh? Ready for what?" he pried. I sighed and set down the plate in my hands.

"I'm taking her out to dinner tonight. She works so hard around here and she's been through so much lately, she deserves a night out," I explained. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Tohru came back in, looking amazing in her black dress and small heels.

"I-is this alright, Yuki?" she asked, looking at the ground. Her hands were clasped behind her back and she was blushing. I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms.

"You look absolutely stunning," I said. "Let me go change and then we'll head out." I kissed the top of her head and left the kitchen, heading for my bedroom. I put on my nicest outfit and tried to put on my tie, but I couldn't knot it right and it sat crooked. I sighed and shook my head.

_I'm never going to get this right,_ I thought, grabbing my wallet and walking downstairs. Tohru and Shigure were in the sitting room talking, but she looked up at me as I came down. I saw her smile as she walked over to me.

"Let me help," she said, adjusting my tie. I had to smile down at her. She was so adorable.

"There, all better," she said, resting her hand against my chest. I placed my hand over hers and smiled at her lovingly. She smiled and blushed, looking down again.

"Let's take our leave, shall we?" I said, holding out my arm. She nodded and hooked her arm through mine.

"We'll be back later, Shigure," I said as we walked out the front door.

"Take your time, I'll be here all night," he said, picking up a book.

As Tohru and I walked through town, I watched her look at everything around her as if she was seeing it all for the first time.

"I haven't been able to just stroll through town in a long time," she said quietly. I smiled down at her.

"I'll take you out any night you want," I said, watching her face turn bright red.

"Oh no, I couldn't do that to you, that would be asking too much. I don't want to be selfish" she said, refusing to look at me. I stopped and turned her towards me, placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Tohru, I want to make you happy. If going out once in awhile is what will make you happy, I don't mind doing that for you. It isn't a selfish thing to want to go out," I told her, kissing her gently. She smiled at me when I pulled away.

"It isn't selfish to want something every now and then," I reiterated.

"Okay, Yuki," she said, and we resumed our walk to the restaurant. Tohru sighed happily, and that's when I saw him. He was walking our way, but his head was down so he hadn't seen us yet. I felt anger building in my chest. He and his stupid orange hair was going to ruin tonight for Tohru. I looked around desperately for a way to avoid contact with the stupid cat so she wouldn't get upset, but I was too late. I felt her grip my arm tighter as she grew rigid. She had seen him.

"Y-Yuki. . ." she stammered quietly. She was starting to shake.

"I know, Tohru," I said, just as quiet. I didn't want him to hear us and look up. I was hoping he'd just pass us by without realizing it. The idea seemed too good to be true, but it seemed like that was exactly what was going to happen, until Tohru stumbled and pushed me into his path. His shoulder bumped violently into mine, and he whirled around with a snarl on his face, becoming even more aggressive when he realized it was me. I pushed Tohru behind me to protect her.

"Watch where you're going, you damn rat," he spat at me.

"I could say the same to you, stupid cat," I said calmly. I felt Tohru grip the back of my shirt tightly and I knew she was terrified. My heart hurt to think that I was scaring her on the night I was trying to make her feel special.

"Don't call me stupid!" Kyo yelled, causing people to turn their heads towards us.

"Then don't act stupid," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Yuki. . .I want to go. . ." Tohru piped up from behind me. I clenched my teeth. Things were really going to get ugly now. Kyo's eyes widened slightly as he finally realized I was with her. He truly was a stupid cat.

"Soon, Tohru. I promise," I said as she wrapped her arms under mine and clung to my chest. I reached up and grabbed her hand in an attempt to comfort her.

"Tohru," he said softly.

"I think you should be on your way," I snapped, stepping back as he reached out. He looked like he wanted to protest, but he didn't.

"I have somewhere to be anyway," he muttered, resuming his walk with his head down. Tohru released me and I turned around to make sure she was okay. She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes, so I pulled her tightly into my arms.

"It's okay, Tohru. He's gone now. I won't let him hurt you," I said softly. She muttered a response into my chest.

"What was that?" I asked, pulling away to look at her.

"I'm cold," she said, rubbing her arms. I removed my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Better?" I asked, smiling at her. She nodded and slipped her arms into the sleeves. I held my arm out again and she hooked hers through it again, and we were on our way.


	16. Kyo's P.O.V.

How could she do this to me? I thought, staring down at the sidewalk. I couldn't believe that yucky Yuki was taking her out tonight. _Of course_ I had to see that. _Of course_ I had to see him trying to win the love of _my_ girl. I just couldn't let that happen. I opened the door to my cold, lonely home. How I longed for a glass of whiskey. Instead, I dropped myself on the couch and turned on the news to distract myself. It wasn't working very well. The image of Tohru clinging to him like that was burned into my retinas. My chest hurt. Why did it have to be him? Him of all people? Why couldn't she ever cling to _me_ for support? My face grew hot. All these questions, all these doubts. They were just swimming through my head. It was all just one big why. My arm became numb.

_Something's wrong. My arm shouldn't be numb,_ I thought. I walked to the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" the operator said, having answered the phone very quickly.

"I'm not sure. My chest is tight, I'm feeling very warm, and my arm is going numb," I explained.

"Just stay calm, sir. An ambulance is on the way," she said. I hung up the phone and sat on the couch to wait for the ambulance. The tightening in my chest became worse. I took deep breaths, hoping it would go away, but it didn't. It soon became very difficult to breathe, and I fell on the floor, grabbing at my shirt in an attempt to loosen its hold around my neck. The last thing I heard was a knock at my door.


	17. Tohru's P.O.V.

Yuki and I walked home hand in hand. I couldn't help but smile, as he had been nothing but a gentleman tonight, and I truly felt like a princess. When we arrived home, he held the door open for me, like he had done at the restaurant.

"After you, princess," he said softly, kissing my cheek as I walked by. I blushed. Shigure was still sitting in the sitting room when we walked in.  
"Did you two lovebirds have fun tonight?" he asked, a teasing tone evident in his voice. I blushed brighter and looked up at Yuki, whose face had also turned pink with embarrassment.

"Yes, we did," he said softly, placing his hand on the small of my back. He then guided me towards the stairs and up to his bedroom.

"Do you want to stay with me tonight or do you want to try sleeping on your own?" Yuki said, smiling at me lovingly.

"I want to stay with you," I said, wrapping my arms around him. He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.

"Then why don't you get ready for bed, and I'll be waiting for you," he said. I kissed his cheek and watched him disappear into his room before I walked towards my own. I put on a light blue silky pajama set and walked back down to Yuki's room. I hesitated outside his door. I didn't know why, but I was nervous about sleeping next to Yuki all of a sudden. I shook my head to clear it. There was no reason to be nervous. I had already shared a bed with him. I opened the door slowly, quickly getting pulled into his arms.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to come back," he said softly. He took my hand and led me towards the bed, allowing me to get in first. I scooted over close to the wall to make sure he had plenty of room as well. He slipped under the covers with me and I snuggled up against his chest, getting ensnared by his arms again. I felt him sigh contentedly.

"Yuki?" I asked, craning my neck to look up at him.

"Hmm?" he said, his eyes still closed.

"Can I call Uo and Hana tomorrow to see if they want to hang out and stay over?" I asked, nervous he'd say no.

"Of course you can. You live here too," he said sleepily. I blushed and lowered my head again. I closed my eyes and let Yuki's rhythmic breathing and sweet smell lull me to sleep.

The next morning, I opened my eyes to an off-white wall and warmth pressed against my back. I looked over my shoulder and saw Yuki sleeping peacefully, a small smile on his face. The sun was starting to peek through his curtains, so I decided to start breakfast. I went to get out of bed, but Yuki's arms tightened around me. I pushed a little harder against his grip, but it only tightened, so I quickly slipped under his arms, seeing them fall limp against the mattress. As I carefully climbed over him, he grunted and rolled onto his back, throwing one arm over his eyes. His smile was gone. I felt bad for leaving him alone, so I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before I tiptoed downstairs. I decided to make pancakes for breakfast.

"Good morning, Tohru," Shigure said. He had a knack for waking up when there was food cooking.

"Oh, an American breakfast, I see," he said, peeking over my shoulder.

"Good morning, Shigure," I said, smiling over at him. "It'll be ready soon, so you don't have to wait too long."

"Ah, Tohru, how I've missed your cooking! It just hasn't been the same around here without you," he said dramatically. I just giggled a little while he went back into the sitting room. After breakfast was done, I set it out on the table in front of Shigure.

"It smells wonderful!" he exclaimed, clasping his hands together loudly.

"You can go ahead and start, I'm going to go wake up Yuki," I said, headed for the stairs.

"Good luck with that," he said, already stacking his plate high. I crept up the stairs quietly and slowly slid open the door to Yuki's room. He hadn't moved at all since I got out of bed. I knelt next to the bed and shook his arm gently.

"Yuki, breakfast is ready," I said softly, hoping my voice would help wake him. He didn't seem phased.

"Yuki," I said a little louder. He rolled towards me, his eyebrows scrunched together. A low groan escaped his lips.

"Yuki, breakfast is ready. Shigure might eat it all if you don't get up soon," I said, shaking him again. His eyes slid open slowly, looking angry at first, but softened quickly upon realizing it was me. He sat up and stretched, a large yawn escaping him.

"Good morning, Tohru," he said sleepily.

"Good morning," I said, kissing his cheek. He stood and pulled me up into his arms, the smell of sleep still clinging to his warm skin.

"Breakfast is ready," I said again, holding him tightly. He gave me one last squeeze before he pulled away and put on a pair of pants and a loose, baggy shirt. I took him by the hand and we walked downstairs together. The pancakes I had made were already half-eaten.

"Shigure, did you eat that much all by yourself?" I asked, worried for his health.

"Of course I did. I had forgotten how wonderful your cooking tasted and I couldn't bring myself to stop," he said. I saw Yuki roll his eyes as he sat down at the table, and I took the space next to him.

"I suppose I should be on my way," Shigure said, standing.

"Where are you going?" Yuki asked.

"I'm going to the main house to meet with Akito today. He said it was urgent and to be there as soon as possible," he explained. "I probably won't be back until dinner." Somehow, hearing that and knowing I would be home alone with Yuki all day, I became nervous. I don't know why it was different, it wasn't like we hadn't been alone before. He must have sensed my nervousness because I felt him grab my hand and squeeze it softly. By the time he was dressed and leaving, Yuki and I had finished eating and were able to see him off at the front door.

"Well then, what shall we do today?" Yuki asked, looking over at me. I blushed, realizing that something inside of me wanted to go back to Yuki's room. I blushed even harder, because I knew exactly what this feeling was.

"What's wrong?" he asked, placing his hand on my cheek.

"I. . .I feel. . .weird," I admitted.

"What kind of weird? Sick weird? Where do you feel weird?" he asked, immediately becoming concerned. I bit my lip.

"It isn't. . .bad weird," I said, feeling my face grow even hotter.

"What is it?" he asked again.

"I want. . .I want to. . .be with you. . .like that. . .again. . ." I mumbled, barely audible. I heard him draw in a sharp breath. I knew he heard me, and I blushed even harder, ducking my head to avoid his gaze. I felt him place his finger under my chin as he forced me to meet his eyes. His face was red, too, but instead of saying anything, he pressed his lips against mine tenderly.

"Then let's head upstairs," he breathed, placing his mouth near my ear. I shivered as his breath brushed against my neck. My heart was pounding in my chest. He picked me up bridal style and carried me to his room, giving me soft yet passionate kisses along the way. He put me gently on the bed and left me momentarily to shut and lock his bedroom door.

"Just in case," he said softly to me. He came back towards the bed and layed down next me, kissing me again. He placed his hand on my waist and slowly moved it downward over my hip and thigh, stopping behind my knee. He grabbed it and hooked my leg over his hip, allowing him to better press himself against me. I kissed him harder, tangling my hands in his hair. I wanted him so badly.

"Y-Yuki. . ." I moaned softly, his lips caressing my neck.

"Mhm?" he sighed, not lifting his head to look at me.

"I. . .I want you. . .please. . ." I begged. He pushed his surprisingly hardened member against me, and I ground my hips against it.

"Please Yuki. . ." I begged again. He flipped us over so he was hovering above me, still kissing my neck. I started tugging at the hem of his shirt, trying to pull it off. He sat up over me, kneeling between my legs, and pulled his shirt off over his head in one fluid movement. I wanted to touch his chest, but he reached down and slowly started unbuttoning my pajama shirt, looking at me as if asking for permission. I nodded and he smirked, moving a little faster. I sat up and let him push the garment from my shoulders, falling onto the bed behind me. He grabbed it and gently tossed it onto the floor next to us. I reached my hands up and placed them against his chest, feeling his heartbeat and muscles under my hands. His lips crashed against mine as he gently pushed me back onto the bed again. I sighed happily as his hands travelled slowly down my stomach, and gasped when he started gently stroking the wet spot between my legs. I felt my face grow red.

"Is this okay?" Yuki asked, his burning eyes looking deep into my own. I bit my lip and nodded yes. He smiled and kissed me again, rubbing me a little harder. I moaned against his lips, and felt him suppress a groan in response. I reached down, regretfully removing my hands from Yuki's chest, to try to remove his pants. I wanted him so badly. I shuddered with pleasure as Yuki dragged his nose across my neck lightly.

"Do you need help with that, princess?" he asked, his breath hot against my skin.

"Y-yea. . ." I said. Without another word, Yuki stood and pulled off his pants - boxers and all - smoothly, his length appearing before me. He climbed over me once again.

"Are you sure you want to?" he asked, hooking his thumb into the waistband of my pajama pants and panties. I nodded my head, and he smiled again as he slid everything off of me so we were both completely bared to each other. I felt my face grow red again. Yuki placed his hand on my cheek and kissed me passionately.

"I'll be gentle again, I promise," he whispered to me.


	18. Kyo's P.O.V.

I groaned and opened my eyes slowly. There was a beeping somewhere nearby, but the lights were too bright. I couldn't see anything. The strong smell of something sterile assaulted my sense of smell, making me want to gag. As my eyes slowly started to adjust, I saw a white ceiling and white walls. The floors were white tile. I looked next to me and located the sound of the beeping. It was a heart monitor. I followed the gray wire coming out of the front of it and found the other end stuck to my finger. Before I had a chance to examine my surroundings more, a nurse came in holding a clipboard. I choked up a little.

"T-Tohru. . .?" I stammered, looking at her. She had the same brown hair, same adorable doe eyes, the same kind smile. How could it not be her?

"I'm sorry, sir. You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Koizumi," she said, smiling down at me. I felt my face turn red and I looked away. Of course it wasn't her. How could I be so stupid?

"What happened?" I asked, still not looking up at her.

"I'm just here to check up on you, the doctor will be in shortly to explain everything," she said, looking at all of the machines around me and taking notes on her clipboard. She left without another word, and she even had the same happy walk that Tohru had. Why couldn't that be her? I stared at the empty white walls for a few minutes longer before an older gentleman with graying hair came in. He looked like an older, less perverted Shigure.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Sohma," he said, reading his clipboard at the foot of my bed. "My name is Dr. Kaneki."

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Well, Mr. Sohma-" he started.

"Kyo," I snapped, cutting him off. I hated being called that. It made my skin crawl.

"Kyo," he repeated. "Well Kyo, we aren't entirely sure what happened. You're relatively healthy, and all of your symptoms suggest a heart attack, but with your age and lack of serious medical conditions, I don't see how it could have happened so suddenly. There are just some last few details from you to help possibly clear things up."

"What do you need?" I asked.

"Do you smoke or use tobacco of any kind?" the doctor asked me.

"Hell no. I can't stand the smell of that damn stuff," I said, crossing my arms.

"Do you drink?" he asked.

"I used to drink every night, but I stopped recently after a bad experience," I answered honestly.

"I see. . ." he muttered to himself, scratching his pen against the paper. "Are you sexually active?" A lump formed in my throat. I couldn't tell him what happened.

"I, uh. . .once, yeah," I said slowly.

"And did you ever feel the need to get an STD test afterwards?" he asked.

"No, we were both. . .clean," I said, unsure how much I would have to tell him.

"I don't think I quite understand what you mean by that," Dr. Kaneki said. I sighed.

"I mean, we were both. . .ya know. . .new. We had never done that kind of thing before at all," I said. I could feel my face growing hotter by the second. I hated talking about personal stuff like this. The doctor nodded and took more notes.

"Alright, Kyo. Let me just take these out to the nurse and see if we can figure out exactly what happened. I know that isn't the most comforting thing you could hear me say, but I just want to be one hundred percent honest with you," he said, standing and walking out into the hall. I sighed. I hated being stuck here waiting. I wanted someone to be here with me, but there would be no one. Except maybe. . . _her_. I shuddered at the thought, but I knew I couldn't rely on anyone else. I hadn't talked to her since well before I left with Tohru. I reached for the cellphone in my pocket and scrolled through my contacts until I found _the one_. It had barely rung once before she answered.

"Kyo! My darling! My love!" an all-too familiar voice cried on the other end.

"Hi Kagura. . ." I said slowly. I knew what was coming.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME?! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" she screamed, and I heard something break. "I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"

"Kagura, knock it off!" I yelled back. "Just shut up and listen to what I need to say!" To my complete surprise, her mood changed entirely.

"Kyo, you aren't in trouble, are you? Are you hurt? Is everything alright?" she asked, genuine concern plain in her voice. She wasn't so bad when she was like this. The only thing I couldn't stand was her irrational temper.

"I'm not sure," I told her.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Look Kagura, I'm in the hospital right now. I don't know what happened, and neither do the doctors. I just really need someone to be here to support me. Will you come?" I asked.

"Of course, my love! I'll be there soon, don't miss me too much!" Kagura said before abruptly hanging up.

Before long, I could hear crashing and yelling in the halls. Kagura must not have stopped to ask what room I was in. I braced myself for the potential onslaught of bone-crushing hugging that I was sure was coming. When she eventually burst through the correct door, she rushed immediately to my side.

"Kyo!" she exclaimed, grasping my hand tightly. "Don't worry, whatever this is, we'll get through it together!" I just smiled up at her a little. As much as I couldn't stand being around her most of the time, it was surprisingly comforting to have her here, especially as the doctor walked in again with his clipboard in hand a few minutes later. I unconsciously squeezed Kagura's hand for comfort.

"Well, Kyo, we've determined that the most plausible option here is that you suffered from a severe withdrawal attack. It's actually incredibly rare an attack this violent ever happens, so it's no wonder we had a hard time identifying it. I recommend that whenever you start feeling the slightest urge to drink, do something else to take your mind off of it. For example, many people who try to quit smoking cut up twizzlers and chew on those when they want a cigarette. I think for you, your best option is to drink something else. It will help train your brain to associate that feeling with a different liquid, such as water or coffee. This is the best advice I can offer to you," Dr. Kaneki explained. I pursed my lips and allowed my eyes to drift to the side, away from the doctor and Kagura. How could that possibly be the best option?

"When can I leave this place?" I asked, still keeping my eyes away from them.

"I'm going to send in a nurse to come unhook you as soon as possible so you can return to your home," he said as he left the room. As promised, the nurse from earlier came in not long after and unhooked me from everything. Kagura was still grasping my hand tightly. She walked with me out of the hospital. Once out, I pulled out my phone to call Hatori to pick us up. He's the only one I know who has a can and knows how to drive.

"Kyo, it's been quite some time since I heard from you," Hatori said, his smooth voice flowing calmly through the speaker.

"Yea, I know. Listen, do you think you'd be able to pick Kagura and myself up? We're kind of stranded," I said.

"What do you mean? Where exactly are you?" he asked, though his tone wasn't as worried as his words suggested.

"We're at the hospital," I told him, wondering how he'd react.

"I'll be right there," he said, hanging up the phone. In almost no time at all it seemed, Hatori's all-too-familiar car pulled to the front of the hospital where Kagura and I were waiting. We got into the car and Hatori drove off wordlessly. When he dropped me off at my house, Kagura got out with me, and I didn't have the energy to protest.

"Hatori? Thanks for, uh, ya know. . .doing this," I muttered, averting my eyes from his gaze.

"Any time, Kyo," he responded simply. I shut the door and he drove off again, and Kagura followed me, not far behind.

"Why are you even here?" I asked her as I opened the front door. "You know I chose her over you, and you still care enough to come when I need you. Why?"

"Because I know no matter what that we're meant to be together!" she exclaimed, a stupid smile spread across her face. I just sighed and sat myself on the couch while Kagura busied herself with whatever in the other room. My life was becoming a living hell.


	19. Shigure's P.O.V.

I stood before the grand gates of the main house, my hands shoved deep into my sleeves to combat the unusual chill in the summer air.

"Shi-gu-re!" I heard, a singsong tone to the voice. I looked up and saw Momiji sitting on top of the gate, waving down at me.

"Hello, Momiji!" I said, waving back at him. He jumped down and landed in front of me, swinging his arms backwards to maintain his balance.

"You're just in time!" he cried, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the grounds of the main house.

"In time for what?" I asked, letting him lead me past the many family houses towards the main building.

"The family meeting! Everyone that used to be a zodiac animal is going to be there! Except for Kyo, of course. Oh, where's Yuki? Did he stay behind with Tohru? They could have come, too," Momiji rambled. "I guess that just means we'll have one more person missing from the meeting. Well two if you count Tohru, but she isn't technically family even though she was the one to break the curse." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Why would we have a huge family meeting while purposefully excluding Kyo?" I asked, interrupting the young boy's thoughts.

"Oh, because Akito wanted to decide if we should do something about Kyo given what he did to Tohru. Hatori told us after he came back from your house, Shigure," he explained, skipping along happily. "Akito doesn't want to keep paying for his house for him and Tohru if she isn't going to live with him anymore, so he called this meeting to decide what we should do."

"I see," I muttered as we traveled the halls of the main house towards Akito's room. Momiji knocked on the door with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm.

"Enter," Akito said from within. Momiji pushed the door open and everyone was looking at us from their various seats on the floor, in a half-circle facing Akito at the front of the room. I tried to not feel bad for being the last to arrive as I took my place between Hatori and Ayame while Momiji sat next to Ritsu and Kisa.

"Now that everyone is here, let us begin," Akito said, folding his hands in front of him. "We're here to discuss a matter most serious. Kyo has not only broken a law in society, but has dishonored the Sohma name. I would eventually like to talk to Tohru myself, but for now Kyo is our main concern. I'd like for Shigure to start, as he was the one who found her."

"I don't really know many of the details. All I do know is that I was awoken by a loud banging on the door at three in the morning and Tohru was there, sobbing on the front porch. She grabbed my arm as soon as she saw me. While I was quite flattered, I simply led her inside and woke Yuki so he could comfort her and put her to bed himself. Later, I found out that Kyo had raped her and called Hatori to come make sure she was physically alright," I said slowly, taking my time to choose my words carefully. Akito just nodded along, absorbing everything I said like a sponge.

"Thank you," he said when I finished. "Since Yuki isn't here, I'll talk to him along with Tohru. Hatori, would you mind telling us from a medical perspective what happened?" I could see Hatori's face turn bright red with embarrassment. Although no one said it, everyone knew what he had to have done to get his information.

"I, uh, _examined_ Tohru and found no damage that would need immediate medical attention. After talking with her, someone certified in mental health may have to speak with her regularly to deal with the trauma," he said quickly, almost as if ripping off a bandage. Again, Akito nodded along.

"Ayame, I know Shigure also called you to his home after Hatori had arrived. Is there anything you'd like to add?" Akito asked.

"Nothing new from what has already been said," he answered, his usually bright eyes somber.

"Then I'd like to ask you all to think about this and we'll talk more a week from today, to give Tohru more time to rest and prepare to talk to us about what happened," Akito said, standing. We all stood together and turned to leave the room. Momiji practically escorted me back to the front gate.

"Do you think Tohru will be alright to talk about this sort of thing?" Momiji asked me.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "She's a pretty strong girl, but I think even this might be too much for her."

"Well I'll be right there to support her!" he said, determined. I smiled.

"You might have some competition for that," I said, only half joking.

"Whaddaya mean?" Momiji asked, looking up at me with his bright eyes.

"Yuki might steal Tohru away from you," I said, ruffling his hair.

"Oh, that's ok! Yuki is really nice to Tohru! And I don't mind sharing Tohru with someone who's nice to Tohru like Yuki!" he exclaimed excitedly. I smiled to myself. I don't think Momiji fully understood my teasing gesture.

When I arrived home, Tohru was just hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?" I asked her as she turned around.

"Oh, Shigure! Welcome home! I was just on the phone with my friends Uo and Hana to invite them over so I could tell them everything that's been going on. I think they deserve to know, and it's also been a long time since I've seen them. I hope that's alright with you, Shigure," Tohru explained, blushing lightly.

"That's fine, Tohru. When will they be here?" I asked.

"Tomorrow," she answered. "Oh, how was the family meeting?"

"Actually Tohru, I need to talk to you about that," I said, gesturing to follow me. I knelt at the table and she sat across from me.

"What is it, Shigure?" she asked, worry plain in her eyes.

"Akito called us to meet today because of what happened between you and Kyo," I explained, deciding being blunt was the best option. I saw her flinch at the mention of his name. "Akito has taken it upon himself to punish Kyo because he not only broke the law, he dishonoured our family name. He didn't want you to come to this first meeting because he wanted to give you more time to recover from the trauma. We're meeting again next week and he'd like both you and Yuki to accompany the rest of us." I could see her processing this information slowly, worrying her lower lip. Her eyebrows were also creased together, giving the impression she may cry again. Yuki suddenly appeared from around the corner, most likely returning from the bathroom. He took one look at Tohru's face and hurried to her side.

"What's wrong?" he asked, putting his arm around her in a comforting manner. She looked up at him.

"Oh, I was just thinking about what Shigure told me," she said, smiling up at him.

"And what did Shigure tell you?" Yuki asked, a hint of harshness coloring his voice. He turned his head towards me as he said this indicated the question was directed at me.

"Shigure told her that the meeting at the main house today was about what happened with Kyo and how to deal with it. He also told her that she and Yuki need to go to the next meeting a week from now to talk about it," I said, purposefully attempting to get some kind of rise out of Yuki. He just glared at me.

"Don't you have a manuscript to be writing?" he asked.

"Hush! Don't say that out loud! If you say them too loud, you'll invoke the wrath of. . .MIT-CHAN!" I said loudly, trying to spook the pair. As if by magic, there was sudden hysterical banging on the door accompanied by tortured sobs of "Shigure~!".

"I told you so," I said to them as I retreated to my office.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, all! This is my work on this site, but I've also published it here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12193482/1/A-Broken-Flower  
> I'm also publishing it here to get a feel for how this site works, and so I don't lose any new stories due to any potential bugs because I acknowledge this site is still in beta mode. I hope you guys enjoy!!


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